


“Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?”

by notjustmom



Series: Towel Day 2018 [31]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Douglas Adams, Established Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, M/M, Spoilery bits for Infinity War, Towel Day 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-27 20:59:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15033200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: ***SPOILERY bits for Infinity War***Of course, I couldn't leave Tony on Titan...





	1. Chapter 1

"Bloody hell. I thought he was dead." John muttered to himself as he found Tony slumped at the bottom of the stairs leading to the flat. He put the bags of shopping down, then knelt down to take his pulse. "Damn. Nearly so. Mrs. Hudson!"

"Yes, dear - oh no, anoth - wait - isn't that - but he's supposed to be -"

"Dead, yes, last thing I heard, he was missing - he had been in New York, and then - I have to get him upstairs, I'll send Sherlock down for the shopping - can you keep Ros - Roz and Rocket with you until we get him squared away, he's in pretty rotten shape."

"Of course, dear. What do you think is going on, John? Why here -"

"Doc - oh shit." Quill stopped short at the top of the stairs, and shook his head before finding his voice again. "You're gonna need help with him; man, is he gonna be pissed when he wakes up." He moved swiftly down to where John was trying to get Tony to his feet, and together they managed to get him up the stairs and into the flat. 

"Couch." John swore silently to himself as they eased him down, then stood up and gazed at Quill until he had to look away. "What the hell happened to all of you - no. I know about the turning to ash bit, but what happened before that - he's been through the wars all on his own, hasn't he?"

"You know who he is, right?" John nodded. "I didn't meet him, them, Strange and Parker, until, well - we were on Titan -"

"Pepper." Tony whispered from the couch. John knelt down and took his pulse again. 

"Listen, if you think it better that you not be one of the first people he sees when he opens his eyes, I'd suggest -"

"Yeah, right. I'll be upstairs if you need anything. Sherlock said he needed some fresh air, said he'd be back later."

"Hell." John pinched his nose and watched Quill make a dash for the stairs. "Bloody hell."

"PETER!" Stark sat up as if struck by lightning, then turned and glared at John. "Ross? What the hell? No. Not Ross. Hair is wrong, and he's a bit -"

"Taller?" John asked quietly.

"And you're English, he's Amer - was American - don't know. You're English. Earth. How -? Where is Peter?"

"Peter?"

Tony closed his eyes and laid back down again. "Parker. Damn it. No. I killed him. Got him killed. Thought I was doing the right thing for him, he was the real deal, not like me." He turned and looked John over. "You know who I am. Who are you, if you're not Ross?"

"John Watson, and you are in our flat. Mine, Sherlock's and our daughter's."

"How old?"

"Roz? She's three, five months and seventeen days if you asked her."

"Sherlock? Wait a minute." Tony opened his hand and found a card. "Sherlock Holmes? He's a detective?"

John nodded.

Tony groaned as he sat up, and rubbed his face, then narrowed his eyes at John and studied him for what felt like an eternity. John briefly wondered if he could be related to Sherlock. "You aren't all that surprised to see me."

"No."

"Others. There are others. Here." Stark started to get to his feet, but John laid a gentle hand on his chest. 

"You need to rest. You mentioned Pepper. Do you want to - "

Tony shook his head. "I don't even know - I don't know if she -"

John pulled out his phone and put it into Tony's hand. "If she is - she would want to know you were okay."

Tony looked down at the phone in his hand and swore as he felt his fingers spasm around it.

"She'd want to know, Tony. Believe me. I've been there before. It's harder not knowing."

"I'm not so sure, John." Tony said, with a sad half smile, and John was nearly certain Stark had to be a distant cousin to the mad detective, he'd seen that look far too often before in Sherlock's eyes.

John put his hand out for the phone. "Give me the number, Tony."

Tony looked at him again and sighed. "Military - Rhodey - Rhodey always looked at me like that when - damn." He gave John Pepper's number, then collapsed into himself on the couch and closed his eyes.

"Hullo? Yes. Is this Pepper Potts? Yes, no, you don't know me, but I have someone here who would like to speak to you." He held the phone to Tony's ear and turned his head as he watched tears run down the man's exhausted face.

"Pepper? Yeah, it's me. No, I'm - somehow, I'm in London. Can you - I need you, Pepper, please?" 

 

John opened the door to find Sherlock standing there with the bags of shopping he had completely forgotten about. "John?"

"Have I told you lately, how much - how very glad I am that you are here?" He pushed his fingers in to Sherlock's hair and pulled him down into a long, deep kiss, and the bags fell from Sherlock's fingers.

"I hope you didn't buy eggs - John? What is it?" He looked over at the couch and saw Tony fast asleep, the phone clutched tightly in his hand. "Is that who I think it is?"

"You don't, by any chance, have any distant connection to the Stark family?"

Sherlock's face crinkled at him, as if he'd lost his mind. "Not that I'm aware of, why do you ask?"

John shrugged. "You'll see when he wakes up. Are you okay?"

"Just needed a bit of air, it's getting a bit crowded in here - John?"

"It's going to get a bit more crowded shortly. And when Stark sees Quill -"

"Damn. We should see if Mycroft would let us crash at his place, let them work it out -"

"You do know who Stark is, don't you?"

"I do watch the news, John. Oh. Right. Yeah - did Stephen leave a number where he could be reached? No. What good is it to know a wizard if he can't be found when you need him?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper to the rescue, of course...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was posted twice, so I'm adding additional chapters to this one...

Of course she went to London. Of course she did. It didn't matter, would never matter where or when he asked her to go, she would follow if possible. She wasn't sure this last time, especially when Peter showed up at her hotel door, looking frankly like he had, well, seen things no one should see, especially not someone of his age - yes, of course, she knew he had seen and done things in the past that not many adults could deal with, Tony had told her about him, but still.

"Peter?" She had opened the door to him, and she let out a tiny yelp before she could stop herself, as he had more or less fallen at her feet.

"Hey, Ms. Potts - is Tony - uhm, Mr. Stark around?" 

"No, I thought - I thought he was with you."

"He was and then - he wasn't, or I wasn't, I dunno, Ms. Potts, honestly. I'm just so tired." Somehow she managed to half carry him to the couch, before he passed out completely. She covered him with a throw, then turned on the news. She should know better by now, as she watched the ticker scream about all the weirdness going on in the world. 

"One day, it has to stop, doesn't it, Tony? Tell me where you are. Please?"

 

It was two days later that the call came, and she heard his voice again.

"Pepper? Yeah, it's me. No, I'm - somehow, I'm in London. Can you - I need you, Pepper, please?" That was all he said before he had fallen asleep, and eventually, the man with a lovely accent - he said his name was John, got back on the phone. 

"Sorry, he's had a rough time of it, it doesn't seem like there is anything life threatening, he's just exhausted. I think once he gets some sleep -"

"I'll, we'll be there as soon as we can, Mr. -?"

"It's Dr. Watson, but please, call me John."

"Thank you, John. He isn't always - he can be difficult if he's -"

"Not in control of things?" John asked with a smile as he glanced over at Sherlock, who was grumbling about all the biscuits he was having to share with guests who kept arriving, as he was putting away the shopping.

"You know someone like that, then?"

"Yes, you might say that." John grinned as Sherlock turned to glare at him. He blew him a silent kiss and Sherlock shrugged, then put the milk away. "I'll let him know you're on your way if he wakes up before you get here. The address is 221B Baker Street."

"Right. Thanks again."

 

She shook her head as she watched Peter fall asleep on the jet as they were crossing the Atlantic.

He had slept for ten hours straight after he had shown up at her door, then had bolted upright and began screaming for Tony. When she finally was able to calm him down enough so he could catch his breath and speak coherently, she couldn't make him tell her what had happened, but he had apologised over and over again before he finally fell asleep again in her arms. When he finally woke up again, six hours later, he had ordered half the room service menu and managed to eat every bite. Pepper only laughed at the boy's sheepish grin, and caught a glimpse of what Tony saw in him; hope. Hope that maybe things could turn out okay, somehow. She wasn't sure how, but stranger things had happened to them, and they were still... she stared out the window and tried not to think too much about what Peter wouldn't, or couldn't tell her.

"Peter. Time to wake up. Peter? Hey, there you are, we're about to land."

"Tony?"

"Yes, we're going to find Tony, and take him home, once and for all."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and a family reunion of a sort... yes, I love Tony... some don't, I get it, but, it's my fic, so there <3 <3 <3

Sherlock, John, Peter and Gamora were all standing in the kitchen, in silence, all talked out. Hotels were out, Molly and Greg were on their honeymoon and they didn't want to involve more people than were necessary, too many questions would be asked, they could involve Mycroft, but again - too many bloody questions, and if they asked for a favour with no questions asked, John and Sherlock knew they'd pay for it into the afterlife if there happened to be one, and Sherlock wasn't taking any chances, when Tony walked in. Peter froze, and Gamora, by instinct, reached for the weapons that weren't there, and swore under her breath.

"You must be Gamora," Tony said quietly. "Is there coffee... no, I suppose you blokes are more tea drinkers, aren't you? Been a while since I've been to London, at least as far as I can remember, of course, that -" He looked at Sherlock closely and shook his head, as if to clear the remaining cobwebs, then squinted at him. "You - look like Stephen - strange."

Sherlock sighed. "I have met the man, and honestly, I just don't -"

"You. met. him? But - and Quill, I saw you -"

"Gamora." Sherlock nodded at the chair, just out of reach. She pushed it close enough for Tony to drop into.

"So. Strange has been here, assuming he's no longer here, he'd be levitating somewhere, showing off. Quill, Gamora - all three, well, two I saw, with my own eyes turn to ash, and you, Gamora, are - why - no, I'm not - had time to think, after - I can't really blame you, Quill. It was my fault, thought I could, I dunno..." He ran his fingers through his hair and shrugged. "I thought I knew more than anyone, thought I could fix things, make things better, and I just ended up royally fucking things up. I - uhm, thank you for letting me literally crash here, what day is it, anyway?"

"It's Monday." Sherlock offered gently.

"Monday. Good, good place to start with, is it still 2018?"

Sherlock chuckled and switched on the kettle. "Last time I checked."

"Well, that's something, at least. This is an awfully small place for, well - yes, I see the problem. I'll be out of your hair in a bit, Pepper -"

"Whoo - hooooo, got some visitors-" Mrs. Hudson opened the door and stepped aside as Pepper and Peter walked into the flat.

"Visitors? As in more than -?" Tony's head snapped around and he nearly hit the floor, but Peter caught him in his arms. "Parker?"

"Hey, Mr. Stark."

"Kid, I think you've more than earned the right to call me Tony, don't you think?"

"Yes, sir, I mean -"

"All in one piece then." Tony laid a trembling hand on Peter's cheek and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, kid. You shouldn't have been there, none of us should have been there."

"Hey, Mr. Star-lord." Peter looked up and grinned at Quill, then gazed at Gamora, unblinking for a minute or so, before he stammered out, "and you, you're - you're beautiful. Sorry - I mean - I'm Peter, uhm, Spider-Man - not that it matters. Just call me Peter, if you were gonna call me anything, not that you were - is there any food around here?" 

Tony laughed and wrapped his arms around Peter and squeezed him tightly for a moment, before struggling to his feet, then looked over and met Pepper's eyes. There was something in them that he'd only seen a couple of times before and knew it was time. She didn't have to say the words. "We don't want to intrude any further, you have your hands full with everyone - we'll just -"

John finally managed to wrap his brain around everything and cleared his throat. "Before you leave, I make a mean fry-up, don't want to send a starving teenager out into London, could be dangerous. I remember being one, vaguely. Peter, you want to help?" Peter looked over at Pepper and Tony and nodded.

"Sure. Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"I'm John. John Watson."

"Right, you're the one Ms. Pot - I mean, Pepper talked to on the phone. So, you got to meet Dr. Strange? He's really cool, bit of an odd duck, but -" John watched as Peter's thoughts went to the last time he saw the sorcerer and he blinked after a moment. "It's good. That he's okay. I mean, I don't really know, I don't understand -"

"Breathe, Peter. You're how old?"

"Seventeen."

"Strange and Stark are full grown men, and they don't know any more than you do. You're in high school back in the States, right?"

Peter nodded as he watched John turn on the skillet, then open the fridge and pull out the makings of a fry-up. "What's everyone else gonna eat?"

John laughed and ruffled Peter's hair. "Hold on, kid, you'll be okay. I can't begin to imagine what you saw, what you did out there, but you're safe now."

"I'm trying to remind myself of that, it's just, when I sleep, I see it, sometimes even when I'm not asleep, you know? I see it all, like a really bad movie, can't seem to turn it off, uhm, John? Sorry - I wasn't brought up to call adults by their given names. My Aunt May..."

 

Sherlock opened the door to the bedroom and nodded to Pepper and Tony. "I'll let you know when the food's up, if there is anything left when the kid - when Peter is finished with it."

Tony smiled at him. "Thanks. For - "

Sherlock shrugged. "I don't know how or why or what's going on, but, it's definitely been an education so far. I'll leave you to it." He glanced at Tony again for a moment, and turned away as if to leave, then stopped and turned back again. "Look. Probably not my place to say this, but, I'm going to anyway. You have another chance to have a life, you've done enough, Tony. It's not your responsibility. It never was. Shit happens, and under the suit, you are just a man, trying to do the best you can. Yes, you have money, and abilities, power - gifts, some would call them, but they aren't always gifts, are they? Sorry - I'll go now - haven't had my tea yet, my brain doesn't start working until I get my first cuppa." He shrugged again and pulled the door shut.

"I don't think I can say anything that could match that, can I, hmm?" Pepper asked Tony as she carefully draped around him and held him in her arms. "Let's go home, Tony, please?"

"Still want to marry me?" He whispered into her hair, afraid of the answer. "Maybe have a kid or two?"

"What do you think, idiot?" She pulled back to look into his eyes. "Tony -"

"It's why I'm asking, I don't know a damn thing any more. I swear. I'm done, Pepper. For good."

 

"You're Tony Stark." Roz said as she poked her head out of Mrs. Hudson's flat.

Tony blinked and knelt down in front of her. "You must be Roz."

"I suppose I must be." She said with a laugh, then became serious. "You're very brave." She kissed his cheek then looked up to see Peter, and drew in a sharp breath. "Spider-Man! You're Spider-Man."

"How - no one - I'm not wearing my suit -"

"I just know." She made a deep curtsey in his direction, then crooked her finger at him and he got down on his knees and looked into her eyes. She laid a small hand on his cheek and met his gaze. "You'll be okay. My Da already told you, didn't he?"

"John is your Da?" Peter asked. 

"Yup, and Sherlock is my Papa."

"You're very lucky, Roz, they are very cool."

Roz shrugged as she watched him get to his feet. "They're not so bad. You will come back and visit sometime when you're done, won't you?"

"Yeah, Roz. I will. I promise."

She shook her head. "Don't pwomise, just do your best to come back, okay?"

Peter drew in a sharp breath and nodded. "I will, Roz. You take care of your parents, okay?"

"I will. Bye." She waved at him as she closed the door.

"Bye, Roz."

Peter turned to look at Tony and cleared his throat. "How - how did she know, Tony?"

Tony shook his head. "Not sure I want to know, kid. Let's go home, yeah?"


End file.
